Charles h



(No Model.)

0. H. FARMER.

BUCKLE.

N0.-44 5,806. Patented Feb-L8, 1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT FEIcE.

CHARLES H. FARMER, OF NElV YORK, N. Y.

BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 445,806, dated February 3, 1891.

Application filed November 24, 1890. Serial No. 372,425. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. FARMER, of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvem entsin Buckles, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

This invention relates to the class of buckles and clasps in which the web is held between two connected parts of the frame, which seize it frictionally or by means of blunt serrations without penetrating through it, the buttonhole straps being suitably connected to such frame.

My present improvement is embodied in a buckle having a wire back frame or body and a wire presser-bar hinged thereon, the frame provided with a convex bow or open loop extending outwardly from its side opposite the hinge, and the presser-bar being formed of a single wire doubled centrally to form an elongated loop adapted to springlaterally into the bow or loop on the frame and to be held therein to serve as a locking and unlocking lever, while the ends diverge, bearing with pressure on the front surface of the web, and their extremities encircle the back frame on the side opposite the convex bow. The straps which extend to the pants-buttons are connected to this frame by a hook and ring or otherwise.

In the drawings, Figure l is a front View, and Fig. 2 a rear view, of a suspender-end with my improved buckle applied thereto. Fig. 3 is a vertical section (central) of the same. Figs. 4: and 5 are perspective views of the buckle alone in its open and its closed position.

A represents the wire body or main frame of the buckle, and B a toothed strip of sheet metal secured to the ends of said frame and extending across the back of the web 0, with which its teeth I) engage, as in Fig. 2. D is a sheetnnetal sleeve, into which the ends of the wire forming the frame A enter. E is the presser-bar formed of a single wire, its extremities encircling the wire forming the lower edge of the frame Aat each end of the sleeve D and constituting a hinge connecting the two members of the clasp or buckle, so that they may open out, as in Fig. 4, to permit its adjustment up or down upon the web, and close, as in Figs. 1, 3, and 5, to clamp the buckle in position for use.

The device for locking the frames together is peculiar to my invention. Opposite to the hinge and sleeve D the frame-wire A is bent outwardly and obliquely backward into a short and broad bulging loop F, slightly narrower in its neck than elsewhere. Into this open loop the narrow elongated lever G enters, such lever being the upward extension of the pressenbar E and formed by doubling centrally the wire forming said presser-bar. From the foot of this doubled portion the wire ends diverge horizontally and extend in front of and parallel with the toothed bar B on aline just below the points of theteeth b, punctured therefrom. These ends then turn downward and are bent around the lower portion of the frame A to form a hinge, as stated. The ends of the frame A are bent toward the front immediately above the points of attachment of the toothed strip B.

The locking action of the device is due to the lateral yielding of the loop F and lever G, the sides of the former springing slightly apart at the neck and those of the latter approaching each other when the lever is pressed into the loop, the spring action retaining them in engagement and clamping the web between the cross-bar l3 and presser-bar E until it is desired to again adjust the buckle up or down, when the parts of the lock are disengaged by a slight pressure. The strain upon the buckle in use, being vertical at a right angle to the clamping movement of the frame and bar, does not tend to disengage them, and the spring-lock is effective.

The means shown for connecting the button-straps S and their ring R to the buckle consist of the wire hook H, doubled centrally, bent to proper shape, and having terminal trunnions extending in opposite directions from the longitudinal center of the sleeve D. The portion broken away in Fig. 5shows this construction. Instead of this h0ok-connec tion, the straps may be otherwise attached to the buckle-frame.

I claim as my invention- 1. A clasp or buckle comprising two bentwire clamping-frames, hinged the one around the other at their lower edges, and an attaching device or hook II for the button-strap ring, connected to the hinged edge of the frame, the upper edge of one frame opposite IOU to said hook having centrally an upwardly and rearwardly bent open loop or bow broader elsewhere than atits neck, and the other frame having a central vertical lever G projecting materially beyond the loop F and formed of a doubled wire, the folds of which are not in contact, but are adapted to approach each other and spring into the loop F and be held by its contracted neck, said frames having each an intermediate transverse clamping portion bearing upon the web, substantially as set forth.

2. In a wire buckle, the body or frame A, the central serrated cross-strip B, and the bulging open loop F, curving outwardly from the upper edge of said body, in combination with the presser-bar E, encircling at its ends the lower bar of the body A and having a central vertical lever or elongated loop G extending through and beyond the open loop F to serve as an unlocking-lever and formed ofdoubled wire, the parts of which stand at some distance from each other and are arranged to spring laterally between and engage with the walls of said bulging loop F to lock the frames together, while the intermediate portion of the said resser-bar bears transversely upon the web in front of the cross-strip B,subst-antially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 3d day of October, A. D. 1890.

CHARLES H. FARMER. W'itnesses:

A. H. SPENCER, JAMES P. PRINCE. 

